Lock assembly having motor inside interior operator handle

Abstract

A lock assembly includes an exterior operator assembly having an exterior operator handle. An interior operator assembly has an interior operator handle having a mounting opening. An outer spindle is operatively coupled to a latch assembly, drivably coupled to the interior operator assembly, has a longitudinal bore, and is rotatable about a first axis. A coupling mechanism is drivably coupled to the outer spindle. A locking spindle assembly is rotatably received in the longitudinal bore and rotatable about the first axis, and is configured to selectively operate the coupling mechanism to drivably couple the exterior operator assembly to the outer spindle. A motor drive assembly includes a motor having a motor shaft. The motor is positioned inside the mounting opening of the interior operator handle. The motor shaft is drivably coupled to the locking spindle assembly to operate the coupling mechanism when the motor drive assembly is actuated.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A lock assembly for a door, comprising:
 an exterior operator assembly having an exterior operator handle; 
 an interior operator assembly having an interior operator handle, the interior operator handle having a mounting opening; 
 a latch assembly having a bolt actuator mechanism and a bolt; 
 an outer spindle operatively coupled to the latch assembly, drivably coupled to the interior operator assembly, and the outer spindle having a longitudinal bore and being rotatable about a first axis; 
 a coupling mechanism drivably coupled to the outer spindle; 
 a locking spindle assembly rotatably received in the longitudinal bore and rotatable about the first axis, and configured to selectively operate the coupling mechanism to drivably couple the exterior operator assembly to the outer spindle; 
 a motor drive assembly including a motor having a motor shaft, the motor being positioned inside the mounting opening of the interior operator handle, the motor shaft being drivably coupled to the locking spindle assembly to operate the coupling mechanism when the motor drive assembly is actuated, wherein the coupling mechanism includes a slide member having a coupling tab and a cam opening, the coupling tab configured to selectively engage a coupling portion of the exterior operator assembly; and 
 the locking spindle assembly includes a cam protrusion that is configured to be received in the cam opening of the slide member of the coupling mechanism, the cam protrusion configured to raise or lower the slide member based on a rotational position of the cam protrusion. 
 
     
     
       2. The lock assembly of  claim 1 , configured such that the motor shaft is coaxial with the outer spindle and the locking spindle assembly with respect to the first axis. 
     
     
       3. The lock assembly of  claim 1 , comprising a clutch mechanism interposed between the motor shaft and the locking spindle assembly. 
     
     
       4. The lock assembly of  claim 1 , the interior operator assembly including a handle sleeve assembly configured to contain the motor, and configured to mount the interior operator handle in driving engagement. 
     
     
       5. The lock assembly of  claim 1 , the interior operator assembly including a housing configured to contain the motor, the housing having an exterior shape that corresponds to an interior shape of the mounting opening of the interior operator handle for mounting the interior operator handle in driving engagement for driving the outer spindle. 
     
     
       6. The lock assembly of  claim 5 , the housing having a proximal end and a distal end, and having a taper between the proximal end and the distal end, the housing having a plurality of exterior flats that corresponds to the interior shape of the mounting opening in the interior operator handle for driving the outer spindle. 
     
     
       7. The lock assembly of  claim 6 , comprising a spindle coupler connected to a first end of the outer spindle, the spindle coupler having a driven opening, the housing of the handle sleeve assembly having at the distal end a multi-faceted polygonal male driver configured to engage the driven opening of the spindle coupler. 
     
     
       8. The lock assembly of  claim 7 , the locking spindle assembly including a locking spindle tail member and a locking actuator spindle, the locking spindle tail member configured to extend from the first end of the outer spindle for drivable coupling to the motor shaft, and the locking actuator spindle configured to extend from a second end of the outer spindle, the locking actuator spindle configured to selectively operate the coupling mechanism to drivably couple the exterior operator assembly to the outer spindle. 
     
     
       9. The lock assembly of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the coupling mechanism includes a slide member having a coupling tab and a cam opening, the coupling tab configured to selectively engage a coupling portion of the exterior operator assembly; and 
 the locking actuator spindle includes a cam protrusion that is configured to be received in the cam opening of the slide member of the coupling mechanism, the cam protrusion configured to raise or lower the slide member based on a rotational position of the cam protrusion. 
 
     
     
       10. A lock assembly for use with a door, comprising:
 a latch assembly having a bolt actuator mechanism and a bolt; 
 an outer spindle operatively coupled to the bolt actuator mechanism of the latch assembly, the outer spindle having a first end and a second end, the outer spindle having a longitudinal bore and configured for rotation about a first axis; 
 an exterior lockset including an exterior operator assembly and a credential reader, the exterior operator assembly having an exterior operator handle; 
 a coupling mechanism drivably coupled to the second end of the outer spindle, and configured to selectively couple the exterior operator assembly to the outer spindle; 
 a locking spindle assembly rotatably received in the longitudinal bore of the outer spindle for rotation about the first axis, the locking spindle assembly including a locking spindle tail member that extends from the first end of the outer spindle, and a locking actuator spindle that extends from the second end of the outer spindle, the locking actuator spindle configured to selectively operate the coupling mechanism to drivably couple the exterior operator assembly to the outer spindle; 
 an interior lockset including an interior operator assembly and a motor drive assembly, the interior operator assembly including an interior operator handle drivably coupled to the first end of the outer spindle, the interior operator handle having a mounting opening configured to receive the motor drive assembly, the motor drive assembly being electrically coupled to the credential reader, the credential reader configured to selectively actuate the motor drive assembly, the motor drive assembly including a motor having a motor shaft rotatable about the first axis, the motor shaft being drivably coupled to the locking spindle tail member of the locking spindle assembly to operate the coupling mechanism when the motor drive assembly is actuated, wherein the coupling mechanism includes a slide member having a coupling tab and a cam opening, the coupling tab configured to selectively engage a coupling portion of the exterior operator assembly; and 
 the locking actuator spindle includes a cam protrusion that is configured to be received in the cam opening of the slide member of the coupling mechanism, the cam protrusion configured to raise or lower the slide member based on a rotational position of the cam protrusion. 
 
     
     
       11. The lock assembly of  claim 10 , comprising a clutch assembly interposed between the motor shaft and the locking spindle tail member. 
     
     
       12. The lock assembly of  claim 10 , the interior operator assembly including a handle sleeve assembly configured to contain the motor, and the handle sleeve assembly configured to mount the interior operator handle in driving engagement for driving the outer spindle. 
     
     
       13. The lock assembly of  claim 10 , the interior operator assembly including a housing configured to contain the motor, the housing having an exterior shape that corresponds to an interior shape of the mounting opening of the interior operator handle for mounting the interior operator handle in driving engagement for driving the outer spindle. 
     
     
       14. The lock assembly of  claim 13 , the housing having a proximal end and a distal end, and having a taper between the proximal end and the distal end, the housing having a plurality of exterior flats that corresponds to the interior shape of the mounting opening in the interior operator handle. 
     
     
       15. The lock assembly of  claim 14 , comprising a spindle coupler connected to the first end of the outer spindle, the spindle coupler having a driven opening, the housing of the handle sleeve assembly having at the distal end a multi-faceted polygonal male driver configured to engage the driven opening of the spindle coupler.